Decisions that matter: Management Tips

We don’t always consider the amount of time a given decision deserves, don’t always follow a coherent decision-making process, don’t always consider the standards that should be met. We rarely think about common cognitive biases that get in the way of strong decision-making. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this week’s first management tip, we’ll talk about several quick ways to step up your decision-making game.

The second tip this week focuses on one of my favorite aspects of decision-making: the need to create solutions, not policies. Many decisions center around employee behavior: how to deal with the person who shows up late, wears odd clothing, or claims inadmissible expenses. Instead of dealing with the person directly and nipping the behavior in the bud, all too often managers try to create a company-wide policy to ensure other employees don’t engage in the same behavior. Good intention with a bad outcome: unnecessary bureaucracy! With a strong focus on solid decision-making and staying focused on finding solutions instead of creating policies, you can avoid a bloated bureaucracy.

Finely tuned decision-making is a hallmark of top professionals, so use this week’s tips and start improving your decision-making prowess right now.